The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1887-11-25

How He and Queen KapioIanI Live in
Their Hawaiian Home.

KIhIi JAS PALACE.
How He and Queen KapiolanI live I'm
Their Hawaiian Home.
kalakaua means DAY of Battle" and
his kingship has realized its force, for on
the very day of his election to the throne
in February, 1874, riot occurred which
was only quelled by the presence of three
men-of-wsr, whose crew5-seSen hun
dred all told-rushed to the rescue and
subdued the turmoil. Now he has Just
been introduced TO = revolution. kal-
akaua is shrewd, and let it come 10 an
alternative between signing the new
constitution and clearing out, depend
upon it his big matter signature
VIII soon make its appearance.
In so petty kingdom one would hard
ly look Tor 30 spacious rOyal residence
as the Iolani Palsce By the wav, there
Is no unnecessary modcsty about the
Hawaiians in their sci ctiOu OF names, rs
''lolani" means Palace Of Heaven" and
II mortal magniiicence is syn euvInous
with paradisacal beauty, certainly the
appcllatiOn is deserved. How proud
kalakaua must have felt four wears ago
when he left the little one-story building,
built OF coral that had 50 long done duty
as royal home, and was installed in the
splendid edltce that now graces Homo
lulu.
The foundation stone of Iolani Palace
was laid with full Masonic ceremonies
(kalakaua being prominent Mason on
Queen kapiolani's birthday, the last day
in the year 1879. 1t stands on an i'm
mense block, close to the heart of the
city, bounded by King, Richard and
likelike streets and Palace walk. The
ma a itself ,,f
feet, being thus nearly square 1t con-
slsts OF two stories and a basement II
has a large central tower and a smaller
tower on each o. the four corners. From
the bas TO the top OF the central tower it
Is 81 feet high. The original surrnised
cost was $4,000. but by 1880 $4,000 had
been expended and further appropria-
ton OF 10000 WAS asked TO complete II.
Then its completion was promised for
1881, but AT its opening in 1883 the whole
affair was found to have cost S540.OOO.
1t is built OF brick (cemented) from de-
signs by Baker, remodeled by c. j. Wall,
and the exterior Is elaborately ornament
ed, while the interior is-well, an artistic
surprise.
In all there are forty rooms, and con
sidering that all but those in the base
ment are seldom used, it will puzzle the
reader to Imagine what could be arranged
IN so many apartments. But the Hawai-
ian kamcchamehas were powerful and
had many visitors, besides which kala-
kaua himself has been almost around the
globe, and the foundation sf decorative
orders brings about the promulgation of
sun more decorative gifts, 50 that Iolani
Palece is literally loaded with curiosities
both novel and ornamental.
The front or state entrance to the
on nff-ar
very special occasions, is on King Street.
nearly opposite the Government build
lnSs- Entering the palace this way,
the visitor comes first OF all TO a very
broad hall leading from this entrance,
each side OF the staircase, and then right
through TO the back OF Palace Walk end
OF the building. The first room to the
right OF this hall Is the throne room, and
here Is enough Conglomeration OF the
baroarIc and the mo!ern TO mystify tho
beholder. All around the walls are we'll
executed portraits of the former Kings of
Hawaii. and at the extreme end OF q
portrait which both the King and Queen
have often silently gazed upon. 1t is an
oil painting OF haahumanu, wife OF
hamehamcha the Great who, after his
death, became Prime Minister and was
virtually monarch during the short reign
OF kamehamsha II. Perhaps hapiolani
obJect- TO her name ('Cap.iV Of Heav-
en- as she looks on this SAVAGE DANES
determined features and longs to emulate
her But her spouse knows that those
despotie times have long since gone by.
Here, also, are the marvellous roval
feather robes, the gorgeousness OF which
no one can Imagine Tho robe used by
kalakaua, and exhibited III this throne
room, Is the Identical nlaHlo imantlel worn
by the great first kzmehameha. 1t is
eleven ieet IN width and i've feet in
length, and made entirely oi golden feath-
ems from the 90, or royal bird. Only two
feathers ara found (one under each wing)
on each bird. AS it takes 4 thousand
feathers to make &a ordinary necklace,
" hat 4 vast quantity must this robe CON
tain And this Is not only the collection
OF lifetime, but the combination OF the
hoards oil eight or ten successive chiefs
At the opening of Parliament this robe is
spread on the throne as symbolical OF
ROYALTY, but ~ other times It Is always
kept over in the palace, and 1t is said
that halakaua was once discovered alone
IN the throne room with this robe around
him, gesticulating and voicing forth
vo~els to his ancestors, Ike child with
a new toy.
kalsksua is now ffty-ons years of age
and has been drawing $4,000 wear
ever since he started, besides oxtra money
being paid ms Queen, his and her staff5
and their household expenses. Although
the King has an interest IN three saloons
and has soms good property in land, and
certainly often helps some of his poor
subjects, vet the mass of his wealth goes
for tho Poi feasts and Hula dances, in
which his predecessors also revelled.
Even when the white people are now in
Nltsd, the Old name of Luaa NATIVE feast)
IS used and the gyrations of the finger
around the calabash OF sticky taro form
the principal event. Hula dances are
even given In the public grounds, but
under great restrictions and shorn, in the
presence OF Europeans, of their dominant
features.
See halakaua on a state occasion. and
fairly corpslent as he is, he seems hardly
to have room 10 hold his medals and
decorations-all one blaze of useless gilt
ter. But creep down TO the Union Saloon
early some evening There you will see
His Majesty, King kalakaua, OF the Ha-
waiian Islands, sitting before Il toddy
dressed in an old blue serge suit, with
cheap straw hat on the back OF his head,
and looking, all! far happier, alter all.
Gunpowder's First Application.
The com